(Referred to in Chapter XLIX, Footnote 15.)
Translation of a letter from MAJOR-GENERAL SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS to His Highness THE AMIR OF KABUL.
ALIKHEL, 18th September, 1879.
(After the usual compliments.) Your Highness's letter of the 28th Ramazan, with the enclosures from Herat and Turkestan, reached me last night. I have acquainted myself with the contents. I am glad to find your Highness is in good health, but sorry to hear of the unfortunate disturbances in your Highness's dominions. Your Highness's letter, in original, has been sent with enclosures to His Excellency the Viceroy. I have already informed your Highness of the wishes of His Excellency the Viceroy, and the reasons for the movements of the British troops, and I have requested your Highness to send a confidential representative to my camp. I am awaiting a reply to that letter, and the arrival of your Highness's confidential representative.
In the meantime I have sent a Proclamation to the tribes, and letters to some of the Logar maliks, your Highness's subjects, to assure those not concerned in the hateful massacre, and asking them for assistance in carriage and supplies on payment. As it appears to me proper I should inform your Highness of what I have done, I enclose copies of the Proclamation to the tribes and of my letter to the Logar maliks, and hope that your Highness may also issue necessary orders for the furtherance of our plans. Rest assured of the support of the Government of India.